Apparatus for coloring watch-springs



(No Model J.LOGAN. APPARATUS FOR COLORING WATQH SPRINGS. No 45&914.

Patented Sept. 22,1891..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LOGAN, OF \VALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR COLORING WATCH-SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,914, dated September 22, 1891. Application filed December 29, 1890- Serial No. 376,017. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LOGAN, of VValtham, in the county of M iddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Means for Colorof color to both sides and a uniformity in the color throughout the length of the spring and also set or fix its form or curvature, and at the same time avoid any scratching or abrading of the spring.

Heretofore the coloring of watchmainsprings has usually been done by drawing the same over a stationary hood or flat surface of iron heated by a flame therebeneath. Objections to this mode of procedure arise from the fact that it results in a scratching or abrasion of the spring material, and it is quite difficult, if not' impossible, to secure a similar bluing or coloring to both sides of the spring or a uniform coloring throughout its length.

My invention overcomes the objections and difficulties before mentioned, the said invention consisting in passing the spring material around a circular or cylindrical rotary heated surface, whereby abrasion of the said material is entirely avoided, and a uniform color throughout its length and similar on both sides is secured, and,moreover, the curvature is set or fixed, so that in coiling the spring in a direction opposite the fixed curvature it is made to possess enhanced resilient properties.

The invention will first be described in connection with the annexed drawings and letters of reference marked thereon, forming a part of this specification, and then be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention complete, a portion of one part being broken away. Fig. 2 is a diagram designed to illustrate the manner in which the curvature of the spring is fixed or set in its treatment in accordance with the invention.

In the drawings, a designates a table or other support suitable for sustaining and permitting of the operation of the improved means.

I) designates a stand secured to the table a, to which stand there is connected a bracket 0, provided in its upper for supporting the upper end of a shaft (I, stepped at its lower end in the stand I), the said shaft cl being so supported as that it may be rotated.

Connected with the shaft (1 toward the upper end thereof is a stove or heater 6 of conical or frusto-conical form, beneath which there is arranged a gas or other burner f, which may be ignited to produce a flame to heat the stove c.

The stove has a small section of its exterior made cylindrical or in the form of a pulley, as at g, for a purpose to be presently explained.

h h designate brackets connected with the table CL, and which support other brackets i i, adjus ably attached thereto.

jj designate bobbins connected with spindles 7t is, adjusted so as that they maybe rotated in the brackets i z" A gear-wheell is connected with the lower end of spindle 7a, which gear meshes with a pinion m, having a jonrnal n supported in a rotary manner in an extension 0 of bracket t", and a crank pis connected with gear m, so that the latter, the gear I, and bobbin j maybe rotated. A suitable friction-brake is applied to the reel j.

As shown in Fig. 1, a disk 1 is secured to the spindle 7t, and a friction-strap w, having its ends suitably secured to the bracket 2', surrounds and presses against the periphery of the disk o.

designates a pulley supported so that it may rotate on a spindle '1", connected with the upper arm of bracket 0. The cylindrical or pulley part 9 of the stove, the pulley q, and the bobbins j j'are arranged upon the same plane.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The wire or spring material 3 to be blued or colored is led from the barrel t of the bobbin j, upon which it is wound, to the pulley g, from thence aroun'd-the pulley part of the stove, and from thence to the barrel 'Lb of the bobbin j, to which last-mentioned barrel the material is secured. The burner arm with a bearing action calculated to in any degree scratch or may be carried into effect, I declare that What I claim is 1. The combination, with a hollow rotary heater having its axis vertical and having a f will be ignited, so as to heat the stove and its connected parts to the requisite degree, when the bobbin 7" and its barrel u will be rotated through the medium of gears Z on and crank 29, unreeling the material .9 from the closed upper and open lower end and probobbin j and Winding it upon the bobbin j. vided with a cylindrical or pulley-like upper The material in passing around the cylindri- I part around which the Wire may pass, of a cal part 9 of the stove will be uniformly rotary bobbin or reel for drawing the wire heated and colored on both sides and througharound the cylindrical part of the heater, out its length, and the said material Will act means for rotating the bobbin, and heating upon the stove as a driving-band, rotating means located under the open end of the the said stove and avoiding anydrag orother heater, as set forth.

2. The combination, with the bobbins or reels jj, the spindle of one of which is provided with a friction-brake and the spindle of the other having means for rotating it, of the frusto-conical heater e,'having its upper end cylindrical in form, the burnerf, located under said heater, and the pulley q in the same plane with the bobbins and the cylindrical part of the heater, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, this 17th day of December, A. D. 1800.

abrade the material. The pulley q is provided merely as a guide to the passage of the material and for the purpose of bringing it into as great a surface-contact with the cylindrical part of the stove as may be. In its passage around the cylindrical part of the stove the material will be curved and have its curvature fixed or set, so that if a section should be cut therefrom it will normally assume the shape shown in Fig.2. This is an important feature of the invention, since in coiling the springin the direction opposite to its fixed curvature it will have enhanced resilient )ro aerties over that it- Would otherr 1 Wise hav e, ind its efiiciency Will be corre- I JOIN LOUAN' Vitnesses:

ARTHUR W. CROSSLEY,

A. D. I'I ARRISON.

spondingly increased.

Having thus described the improvement and one form of means by which the same 

